London Knights - Uniforms and Logos

Uniforms and Logos

As the London Nationals, the Knights originally played in the blue and white of the Toronto Maple Leafs. The team's logo was the same Leaf as used by the parent club at the time, except with the words "London Nationals" written out across the leaf instead of "Toronto Maple Leafs". After 1968, the colours changed to green, gold and white, and the logo to a classically-inspired Knight's head with an Old English "K" on the helmet. In 1980 the striping changed slightly, from classical horizontal stripes around the sleeves and bottom of the sweater to large arm stripes and a bare sweater bottom. In 1985–86 the green on the uniforms was darkened and the arm stripes were deleted in favour of broad swathes of secondary colour across the shoulders and down the arms. 1986 saw a total re-design of sweater and logo. Black was added as a secondary colour and the striping returned to a more pedestrian design. The logo was also changed, from a classical Knight's head to a more modernized version on a gold circle with the letter "L". These uniforms were used until 1994. In 1994 the green and gold were disposed of completely in favour of the eggplant and teal used by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The logo was changed to "Spiderknight", with normal horizontal striping and pointed shoulder stripes. There was also a teal shoulder patch bearing the word "London" and a hockey stick. In February 2002, the Knights reverted back to their 1986–94 uniforms as a commemoration of the closing of the London Gardens. The special uniforms were identical except for two shoulder patches, one bearing the 1968–86 logo and the other bearing the 1994–2002 logo. These uniforms were also used for the 2002–03 preseason. For the opening of the John Labatt Centre in October 2002, the Knights debuted new uniforms with the 1986–94 logo, minus the "L" and the gold circle. These were drawn on a home white uniform and a road uniform that, for the first time in team history, bore black as its primary colour. Each uniform also bore a new "shield" shoulder patch. The team also debuted green third jerseys, which featured the word "KNIGHTS" printed diagonally across the front of the sweater.